One Last Choice
by bigb3ar-2nd
Summary: She fought, she defied, she failed, she tried again only to fail. Until there was only one way for Max to be together with Chloe again without sacrificing the town.


**Max's Room,** **Prescott Dorms**

 **October 17, 2013**

Rain… if it was a week ago, this pattering sound would have been torturing and tormenting the petite freckled brunette. 'Begone, foul rain! You do not scare me anymore.' She thought. Though contrary of her thoughts, tonight, this rain was soothing her. It was pleasant. The tiny tethering drops of water hitting and dispersing on her dorm room's window.

She got up and walked towards the window and ran her hand on the sill. The pad of her fingers could feel the slight dampness of the surface. Her lips cracked into a soft smile, but her attention was taken over by a soft shimmer that reflected on the glass of the window. Chloe's bullet necklace rested on her sternum. In the faraway distance, lightning tore through the clouds and followed by a muffled boom of thunder. Flickers of white brightened the darkened sky with a purplish hue, making the brunette's reflection pronounced further. A light gleamed in her beautiful azure orbs and faded along with the thunder. However, that did not disperse the ease she was feeling.

Turning away from the window, yet another smile grew on her lips, though this one was a bit pensive, sad even. For a fraction of a second, the calm inside her was disrupted but she shook her head and smiled again, 'Look at her, sleeping so soundly, oblivious to everything.'

Barefoot, in her white cotton one piece, she took soft steps and sat next to the sleeping figure. Yet again, a soft but somber smile stretched on her lips. She lifted her hand to her ear and tucked the loose strands of her bob cut mane behind it and leaned close to the sleeping figure's ear and with soft, barely audible whisper she spoke. "I am sorry, I made you go through everything." A clot grew in her throat choking her words but tonight, she refused to cry. The tightening of her chest, the eyes getting misty, nothing mattered to her anymore.

She swallowed the block, wetted her lips with her tongue and continued, "But it's all over now. I did it. WE did it. It's over. You can rest now." Her lips stretched to a more vibrant smile despite her eyes becoming glassy. She leaned back, straightening herself, and picked up her phone from the bedside table.

Unlocking it, she swiped through her contact and finding Chloe's number she tapped on the dial. A cropped photo of her and Chloe's younger self, clad in pirate's garbs, popped up overlaid by the dialing icon. A toothy mirth grew on her face as she bit her lower lip to contain her giggle but also caused a pink glow on her cheeks. She put the phone next to her ear, got up from the bed, and walked to her sofa. Her guitar was perched next to her. She ran her index finger on the edge of her trusty musical instrument, tracing the curves. The click on the phone grabbed her attention back.

"Hey, Maxi-pad. Took your time calling. Sup, you ready?" There it was, the ever so vibrant chirpy voice.

"You bet, where are you?" Asked the younger girl.

"On my way, I'll get in…" there was a short pause, "five minutes."

"Okay, I'll be waiting. Don't make me wait any longer. Got it, Price?"

"Max…are you sure?" The punk had a waiver in her voice.

"Chloe Price getting cold feet now? So much for your punk bravado." The brunette teased the punk, who huffed on the other side.

"Fine, smart ass. Get ready, I'll be there shortly." Said the punk.

"Okay," The petite replied and disconnected the phone. She sighed a bit audibly, but quickly lowered her voice and looked at the sleepy person, relieved she was still sleeping. 'That'd be a major wrench in the plan if she woke up. Be discreet Ninja Max. This is a sneak-out mission. Nobody has to know.'

'Okay, Max, one last time. Let's go through the diary again.' She said as she got up from the sofa and placed the phone back on the side table and picked up her diary. She flipped the cover, and ignoring the scribbled and crossed sections of the earlier entries, 'Dog! I was so pretentious, look at this shit. Anybody who takes one look at this journal will think what sort of weirdo I was.'

She flipped through further entries and stopped at a page. Her brows furrowed together, in a pensive smile as she saw a crossed-out heading.

July 10, 2013. I GOT ACCEPTED INTO BLACKWELL BLACKHELL ACADEMY. (SS Flagship Cliché)

A small giggle escaped her lips, 'Chloe. She went through my journal again. I forgive you this time. Captain Dork.'

'Blackhell, my best and worst decision ever. Looking back, I was so happy when I got the acceptance letter. Part of me was happy because he was teaching there. I was just another naïve, dreamy, and oblivious girl at that time. Insert the biggest gro-' Max's eyebrows furrowed as she clenched her fist. She could feel it, her calm was dissipating, again. She couldn't help but glance at her wrists. For a second, she thought she saw the duct tapes still wrapped around her wrists. A sneer grew on her face and her eyes started reddening.

Before she went back to the same hysterical state she was in last week. She shook her head to disperse the ill thoughts, 'No! Not anymore. It's over. He is over! He will rot in jail for everything he did. To Rachel, To Kate, to… to me.' She breathed through her nose and exhaled a sigh. 'Kate…' she thought. Another calming smile grew on her face, taking over all the ill and brooding thoughts that were rearing in her head. She picked up her journal again and flipped the pages until she reached the page where she wrote about Kate.

"Starry nights and life time memories." She read the sticker pasted over Kate's photo. 'Ugh! Look at all this shit I've written. How conceited and fake I could get? If I'd known at that time, what Kate was going through, I wouldn't have written this. I still couldn't tell her what happened in that week which does not exist anymore and I intend to keep it that way. She looks happier now. She is getting all the support she needs and it is good for her. I feel so bad to leave her behind. How can I not? Despite herself being sad, feeling… used, she tried to help me, until I was able to fix everything. I know she will be sad, but maybe, when she reads this. I did leave a message in here somewhere.' She scanned through the page and saw a small paragraph, a few comments, her honest thoughts that she had written earlier tonight and she started reading it.

"Kate, you are one of the most wonderful people I've ever met in my life. No matter what they say, no matter how depraved their words are. You will always be you. Stay happy, believe in yourself and spread your wings just like the angel you are. Kate Marsh, I will always love you as my dearest friend."

Max teeth peeked through her mirthful grin as she read her own writing, 'In the end, old habits die hard.'

She continued going through her journal, flipping through the pages, reading, recalling her happier moments. Her sad moments. A message for Warren. "Get off your computer once in a while and look around you. There is a person waiting for you." 'I guess I'll let him figure it out.'

Victoria, 'Just a couple of weeks ago, I would have considered her really mean and heartless, stuck in her snobby, I am so on the top of the world, pretensions. But I saw it, saw the real Victoria behind her mask. I saw her regretting what she did to Kate and apologizing to her. The past weeks, while keeping her Queen Bee demeanor, she was really nice to Kate and to me too. I hope she can get past her insecurities and realize what true potential she has and use it to inspire others. Maybe, maybe in another timeline, if those exist anymore, we could've been really good friends?' She stopped reading her journal for a moment and tilted her head up to look at her photo wall. A solemn sigh escaped her lips.

'I am leaving everything behind, my dreams, my friends, my…parents. Running away without telling them. I don't know what Joyce would think, when she realizes Chloe is not there and mom and dad too. But we are doing this for ourselves. I chose this. I made this. I found a way out of that loop. It was either the town or Chloe. I couldn't sacrifice them both. But, there was the third ending to it too. It took me some time to figure out. But I did it, for her and for myself. But I cannot stay here anymore. I cannot stay in this place. It keeps reminding me, of that week, of all of my pain, my sufferings and Chloe's too. It took me five years and one fateful week to realize, what she meant to me. I couldn't leave her, lying down in a pool of her own blood not knowing what I felt for her. Not knowing people cared about her. But I was not strong enough to keep an enormous guilt over my shoulders for destroying the lives of so many people by destroying a town which had nothing to do with my powers.'

Powers… she thought as she glanced at her open palm, 'More like a curse, a curse to keep seeing my loved ones die. To fix only to break it even more. Or is it that you cannot fix what was not broken, and you cannot break which does not exist? Screw that. I chose to defy it. I chose to pave my own path, I made my own choice. A little late, but hey, as long as it works, right? And it worked, Chloe is here. The town is here. My friends are here. All Alive. Powers… I didn't even need them to fix this broken piece of shit, the blunder of a timeline. As long as Chloe is with me…'

Max was snapped back to reality as she heard a soft rap on the door. 'She's here.' The brunette couldn't contain her happiness that spilled on her face as a grin. She placed the journal back on the side table. She fixed her white dress and opened the door. There, standing with a cheeky grin on her face, with her hand on her hips, with her cocky swagger.

"Yo, Maximo," greeted the punk through her mirthful grin, "Dang! you look HOT." She said as she observed Max in her sleeveless one-piece cotton dress.

Heat rose on Max's face as a pink hue overlaid on her cheeks which she tried to mask with a soft but audible giggle, "Speak for yourself, you dolt. All prim and ready." The brunette looked at the punks attire. She usually saw her as in her no fucks given punk dressing, tank tops, skinny jeans with patches and beanie. But tonight, it was all tailored, white shirt with open collar, and folded sleeves, to allow her iconic sleeve tattoo to peek out. A buttoned black waistcoat over the shirt, and matching black skin feat jeans. Chloe Price was one who could be called an epitome of androgynous style and it suited her well. The only missing thing was her beanie and the bullet necklace which the brunette was wearing. Max was mesmerized by the punk, 'Dog! She looks so handsome. Love struck!'

Th punk looking at the dazed brunette with a lopsided smirk, spoke again in her quippy voice, "I know, I look hot as fuck, Max. But won't you let me in?"

Max was, yet again, snapped out of her stupor, "Huh? Oh, y-yeah, come on in." 'Gawd! Stupid Max, you and your gawking.' The brunette made way for the punk as she entered the room, closing the door behind her.

Chloe's eyes fell on the sleeping figure. Sleeping so soundly, oblivious of the two people in the room. She turned around looking with solemn eyes towards the petite girl. Max shook her head and smiled softly as she took small steps and sat on the sofa again. She patted on her side, gesturing Chloe to sit next to her, which the punk did, albeit with a slouched posture. Her cheeky demeanor was gone, clouded by a sadness, something deep. She turned her attention towards the younger girl, who was tinkering with the bullet necklace she wore, and her other arm crossed over her chest.

"Max…" the punk called for her in a soft voice.

"Mmmh?" Max was not looking at the taller girl but still holding the same soft smile on her face. Though the punk saw through the lackluster trying of the brunette. Her eyes flickered, looking the at the freckled girl, then to her sides, lips parted. She wetted her lips before speaking in a soft tone.

"Max…why?" Chloe asked, still keeping her voice low, so they wouldn't wake up the sleeping figure.

Max tilted her body towards Chloe, and bobbed her head a bit to the left, trying to discern the blunette's question, "Why? What do you mean why? Chlo?"

"You could have left me? It was done. Why again?" asked the blunette again.

Max huffed a bit, "Chloe, please. I've already told you, I will never leave you again. I promised." She left the necklace and placed her hand on the punk's cold one and squeezed it in assurance.

"You did not have to sacrifice everything for someone like me, Max. You had your life. Your dreams, friends. I was just a lonely self-loathing good for nothing junkie. All of that happened, all of it was my fault. Why do you have to suffer for all of my bullshit?"

"Because I love you, damn it!" Max couldn't help but raise her voice a little. They had this conversation before, the whole week. The punk trying to deter Max from making the decision of leaving everything behind and run away with Chloe. From everyone and everything. And it all meant that she was yet again sacrificing everything that she barely managed to save.

"Because I cannot have it in my heart to betray you again. You have suffered for five years, because of my selfishness, my ignorance. That week, I had a chance to fix it. But I screwed it up even more." Max slowly lifted her hand and placed it on Chloe's soft cheek, "Chloe, please let me be selfish one more time? I have seen you die so many times. So many times, I tried to fix it, only to see you die again. Then these shitty time powers, this fate, destiny, the storm. Whatever that shit was. It made me pick through cruel choices. It was unfair. For you and for me. But you made me pick that choice. You were selflessly sacrificing yourself for the sake of a shitty town that took everything from you."

"Because that was the right choice, Max. I was meant to die in that bathroom. It was my own doing." Chloe tried to reason with Max.

"It was not. Nothing was your doing. You were pushed to it. With Rachel, with Nathan, Frank, David and him. They pushed you." Max's eyes gleamed with tears, "Chloe, you have no idea what I felt when I heard that shot again. It still rings in my ears. It keeps reminding me, I made the worst choice of my life, by sacrificing you. That moment for me, you have absolutely no idea, that moment has not just ended your life but it killed me too." Tears had already started flowing from her eyes, down her cheeks as her lower lip tremored and quivered.

Chloe's heart rendered with pain as she saw the wounded look on Max's face. She shifted close to Max and wrapped her arm around the brunette, and with her other hand she swiped the tears from Max's face, kissing on her head, "I understand, Maxi. I understand. You don't have to say anything anymore. Whatever's done is done. You made your choice and you made it for me. I appreciate that." She titled Max's face towards her holding her chin softly, "All I wanted was your happiness, to see you happy. With your parents, your friends, and achieve your dreams. I cannot help it but think I have ruined your life too, Max."

"My life would've been nothing without you, Chloe. The whole last week, I was living like a dead person. Everything reminded me of you. I was lost, I couldn't function. I couldn't sleep, or eat, or talk to people. I was suffering, Chloe and nobody could help me. They felt helpless and it was making me hate myself so much. All of that… all of that made me realize, I have nothing left without you. It made me realize, that I was and am in love with you, Chloe." Max sniffed as she leaned further into the blunette's embrace. Wanting to feel safe, an assurance that she was not alone anymore. That Chloe was here with her.

Chloe looked at the brunette, who was looking so small, so dejected and shrunken with sorrow, that her heart melted. She had realized it too. That night when they sneaked into gym building, in the pool area. The love was there, but she was uncertain. She was still optimistic, still hoping Rachel would turn up. She did test the water with her abrupt dare, the kiss. She wanted to be certain, but she also didn't want to burden Max with her feelings and her own dilemma of still having feelings for Rachel and the building ones for Max.

Her doubts were cleared when Max kissed her in front of that raging storm. The physical manifestation of their innocent sin. The amalgamation of their playing with time. But this time, it was not an innocent play, it was not a hide and seek in the waterfalls. It was the beginning and the end of their wish, to be together yet to leave each other behind. The world, no the existence of everything was cruel towards the girls in love.

But here, at this moment, listening to the girl who was willing and did sacrifice everything for a person who held grudge against her, hated her for abandoning her. But she amended her mistake. even more, she paid an enormous price. Nobody could've done that. Not even Chloe herself could've. So, she just sat there, let the girl who loved her so much, that she defied everything fate threw at her. One more time, the blunette thought, let her cry one more time, but let it be one last time. Never again, she should suffer, never again she should face any sort of harshness. Never again.

Max, having cried her eyes again, calmed down after a while, slowly shifted away from the embrace and sniffed. "Chloe, it's done. We should leave now before they find out."

Chloe wiped her own eyes and running her finger under her nose, nodded and got up. She stretched her hand towards Max and grinned, "My Lady, would you like to run away with me? For all the shit and giggles, leaving behind Blackhell and all that has held us down, to the longest journey of our lives? We promise, waffles, bacon and all the shitty food we will find out there. I beseech you, please join the dork side with me."

Max giggled at the blunette's ridiculous drivel and held her hand, lifting herself up, "As long as you keep this dork side of yours to your end, you, shitty punk."

"No can do, Maxi-pad. That is one of my charms. You'll have to live with it." The taller girl twined her fingers with the brunette's and walked towards the door, opening it for her. Max took one more wistful glance to her dorm room and everything that she was leaving behind.

"Max…" The blunette called again, to which the freckled face girl replied with a shake of the head and a smile. Chloe mirrored her smile.

They walked out of the dorm building, the rain was long gone, the clouds were dispersing. Walking towards the parking lot. Max glanced one more time at the building, but with a much more determined look, leaving all the worries, all the uncertain feelings, the hurt, sorrow, trauma. She felt light. Relieved, even. They reached Chloe's truck. The punk quickly walked around, and sat in, opening the door for Max. The brunette climbed on the passenger side and buckled the seat.

Chloe tilted her head, excitedly towards the freckle faced petite, "So, where to, Max? The journey is long, the world is vast."

"With you, anywhere," Max replied with an eagerness of her own.

"Okay, First Mate Max, buckle up. Check the compass, gather your cutlasses. The Arcadia Bay Pirates' legend starts today." The punk said enthusiastically.

"Aye, Cap'n" Max replied with her own enthusiasm.

Chloe grinned again, and started the truck, slowly maneuvering the vehicle from the parking lot. As soon as they hit the road and drove a few blocks away, an ambulance with its sirens blaring zipped pass them. Max tilted her head a bit looking at the side mirror as the ambulance turned towards the school building. Chloe placed her hand on Max's shoulder, which prompted her to avert eyes from the mirror and back to the love of her life and smiled softly, finally looking forward, towards the road and with a soft pensive smile, she muttered, "Goodbye, everyone."

* * *

 **AN:** **Will Be upd- okay, no pitchforks. C'mon guys! Uh... okay. So, I wanted to write a one shot, my own take on a bay-ending. There's not much to say about it, except, Max unable to cope with the grief of sacrificing Chloe, did one last drastic thing. Ending her life, to be with Chloe and relieved of the burden that forced upon her, once and for all. So her last choice. I hope you guys drop the staves and the torches and be generous to leave feedbacks and comments.**


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